Family Assistance 

Family assistance describes various programs which help immediate family, other relatives and friends of those persons directly affected (PDA) by the event.  In some areas this is also called humanitarian assistance.

The term “family” is not limited to those with biological or marital ties.  It applies to many people, all with a common concern or love for the injured or deceased. Typically this includes parents, siblings, grandparents, life partners, spouses, fiancées, children, long-term family friends, and even co-workers.  These are the people who support the immediate family and provide information to the various response agencies.

There are several goals of family assistance.  Foremost is to provide all survivors and families with a uniform level of immediate help. This begins with establishing a call center.  The Call Center gathers information from callers and enters initial details about the PDA into an information database (PDA Information Path). In some cases, for example aviation accidents, the call center may have a passenger list or manifest.  Calls initially come from survivors, family, friends, co-workers and many others.

Family assistance also includes notification of PDA involvement, providing transport, food and lodging at the disaster area, and establishing a family/humanitarian assistance center staffed with screened and trained individuals called special assistance team (SAT) members.  They are trained in communication skills, have an understanding of the process, and understand how to work with families of those who have lost someone to a sudden, unexpected death. 

The second goal of family assistance is to establish a system for local authorities to quickly collect information from the families of PDAs.   This includes the collection of DNA references from families, gathering dental and medical records, and detailed interviews about the PDA (Persons Directly Affected Reports). This information is often required to assist in the identification process. 

Thirdly, family assistance provides families with an understanding of what the next few weeks and months will bring for them.  This is often accomplished through a series of briefings conducted by local and national governments, and/or the business involved.  Information should be provided about the investigation process and the role, if any families will have in future hearings or reports.

Finally, in aviation accidents in particular, family assistance includes providing immediate financial assistance to help cover normal living expenses until insurance claims or settlements take place.  In many cases, it also provides for funeral costs and arranging for the return of the loved one’s personal belongings.

In some events, providing family assistance is mandated by legislation.  In best practice, any business that is involved in a mass fatality should have a plan and resources in place to provide such help.  It is a moral responsibility.